Road Rage

By Paula Felps 11.24.14

Most of us have been guilty of aggressive driving at one time or another. Today’s more congested roadways can create a stressful, dangerous situation, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that two-thirds of auto fatalities today can be linked to aggressive driving. Let’s look at some of the more common behaviors of aggressive drivers — and why they’re so dangerous.

Speeding. This common aggressive driving behavior is responsible for about one-third of all traffic injuries. In addition to putting yourself, your passengers, and other drivers at risk, aggressive speeding and rapid acceleration wastes gas. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, by driving sensibly and at posted speed limits, you can increase your gas mileage by 33 percent on highways.

Dangerous Behavior. Honking, flashing lights, obscene gestures, tailgating, blocking traffic, and switching lanes quickly or without signals are all actions that are associated with incidents that escalate into road rage. Road rage has proven deadly in many situations, and provoking another driver is never a good idea.

Keep Your Head About You. If you’re the target of an aggressive driver, don’t respond: That will only further elevate their rage. All of these dangerous behaviors only serve to antagonize other drivers — and can put everyone on the road at risk. Plan ahead and leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.